Over het museum
The Wallace Collection was formed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the Marquesses of Hertford and by Sir Richard Wallace. Together they gathered paintings, sculpture, furniture, porcelain and arms and armour, with a particular strength in French art of the eighteenth century. The collection is displayed in Hertford House on Manchester Square in the Marylebone district of London, which was the family's London home.
In 1897 Lady Wallace bequeathed the collection to the British nation, on the understanding that it would be kept together and shown to the public. The house was adapted for the purpose, and the museum opened in 1900. It remains one of the most significant gifts of works of art ever made to the public.
Today the Wallace Collection is a national museum, a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and an exempt charity, governed by a Board of Trustees. The galleries still keep the character of a private house, with rich wall coverings and gilded furniture, and admission to the permanent collection is free. The museum also carries out conservation and research on its holdings and runs a programme of talks, tours and temporary exhibitions.
Hoogtepunten
- Fragonard's The Swing
- Eighteenth-century French paintings, furniture and Sèvres porcelain
- Arms and armour galleries
- Works by Canaletto, Rubens, Poussin, Velázquez and Rembrandt
- Courtyard restaurant under a glass roof
- Opgericht
- 1900
- Beheerder
- Wallace Collection (non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
- Directie
- Dr Xavier Bray
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
De toegang is gratis.
Entry to the permanent collection is free and unticketed. Temporary exhibitions need a ticket; children under 12 enter exhibitions free with a paying adult, concessions are offered to visitors with disabilities, and carers receive free tickets.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie
The main entrance is step-free, with a sloping drive and automatic doors, and a lift serves all floors, so all public areas are accessible. Wheelchairs can be borrowed from the front desk and reserved by phone. An accessible toilet with an alarm and a baby-change cubicle are on the lower ground floor; the nearest Changing Places toilet is at Paddington station, about a 25-minute walk. Seating is available in the galleries, and magnifying glasses and torches can be borrowed at the Welcome Desk. Large-print guides for temporary exhibitions are available. The free Bloomberg Connects guide includes audio description, captioned videos and British Sign Language content, and BSL, captioned and audio-described events are listed in the programme. Trained assistance dogs are welcome. Blue Badge bays are on Manchester Square and nearby streets.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
- Verschoonruimte
The museum has a family visits page with downloadable activity sheets, short films for families and online activities for ages 6–11, plus a programme of family events. Breastfeeding is allowed anywhere, folding stools can be borrowed at the entrance, and a lift serves all floors. Families may bring their own food but may not eat it in the galleries.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Bond Street station · 7 min. lopen
Bond Street station (Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines; step-free via the Marylebone Lane entrance) is a 7-minute walk. Marble Arch (10 minutes), Oxford Circus (12 minutes) and Baker Street (13 minutes) are also within walking distance. Marylebone station is 10–15 minutes and Paddington 20–25 minutes on foot. Buses 2, 10, 12, 13, 30, 74, 82, 94, 113, 137 and 274 stop nearby, and all London buses are wheelchair accessible.
Met de auto
Geen eigen parkeerplaats bij het museum.
No visitor parking on site. Metered street parking nearby runs until 18:30; larger car parks can be found through the Westminster City Council parking locator. Blue Badge bays are on Manchester Square and nearby streets.
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
Bicycle racks are on the museum driveway and nearby streets; the nearest Santander Cycles docking stations are on Hinde Street, George Street and Portman Street.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museumwinkel
- Kluisjes
- Wifi
Free Wi-Fi is available in the museum. The Courtyard Restaurant and Café sits on a glass-roofed terrace. Free lockers are on the lower ground floor (maximum item size 56 × 25 × 45 cm); larger bags are not allowed. Food and drink bought in the restaurant must be consumed there, and visitors with their own refreshments may use the outdoor courtyard seating.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
- Privéfeesten
- Zakelijke evenementen
- Bruiloften / trouwceremonies
The galleries and courtyard can be hired exclusively out of hours for receptions, dinners, weddings, private parties, filming and private tours.
Aanvragen & detailsJe bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja · duur ca. 60 min. |
|---|---|
| Audiotour | ja (EN, AR, CY, DE, EL, UK, ES, FR, PT, RU, IT, KO, ZH, NL) |
| Fotograferen | Personal photography and video are allowed in the galleries without flash. Monopods, tripods and selfie sticks are not permitted, and photography of temporary exhibitions and loaned works is not allowed unless stated. |
| Goed om te weten | A free digital guide is available on the web and in the Bloomberg Connects app in over 30 languages; connect to the museum Wi-Fi and scan the QR codes. A free one-hour Collection Highlights Tour runs daily at 14:30. Groups of six or more must book in advance, with a maximum of 25 people per group. Bags may be searched and rucksacks may need to be worn on the front. Large umbrellas must be left at the Information Desk. |
